The present invention relates generally to a removable guide attachment apparatus for use with a rotary hand tool. More specifically, the present invention relates to a removable guide attachment apparatus, which preferably includes a housing and a slide, the housing having an angled base portion.
Various types of guide attachment assemblies are currently known. One well known device utilizes two separate components, a housing and a slide, where the slide is coupled to a hand drill or other rotary hand tool, and the slide and housing can be locked in various positions. This guide attachment apparatus is adapted for use with such a rotary tool of the type which utilizes a motor to rotate a collet about an axis. A bit is inserted in and held by the collet and for engaging a work surface.
The housing of this known guide attachment includes a base portion which is perpendicular to the axis. This perpendicular arrangement can make for a difficult or uncomfortable handling during use, since the user's hand is perpendicular to the base, not at a more natural acute angle. While the housing of this guide includes a viewing opening to allow the user to see the bit as it engages the work surface, the viewing opening is rather small and allows the user only a limited view of the bit. Also, the housing base lacks any guides to help keep the bit centered on the work surface, making it easy for the bit to wander off the center of the desired work surface.
Accordingly, in response to the problems discussed above, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide attachment apparatus for a rotary hand tool, where the present guide attachment apparatus includes a housing having a base portion which is at an acute angle relative to the axis of rotation of the collet, which enables a user to have a more natural hold of the rotary hand tool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an improved guide attachment apparatus which has a large viewing hole for viewing the bit engaging the work surface.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide attachment apparatus which includes guide protrusions on the base of the housing that are particularly useful to guide the bit between adjacent tiles during a grout removing operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide attachment apparatus which includes multiple locking recesses on the slide to allow the user to see the depth indicator at different work angles.